Lesson
30 August 18, 2002
Review:
3:20 Superiority of God's promise
Now a mediator is not for one
party only; whereas God is only one.
Literal Translation
Now a mediator is not a mediator of
one party only, where as God is one
party.
Summary 3:20
1. When a
mediator is necessary it implies that the covenant or agreement between the
parties indicates that both parties have responsibilities to fulfill related to that agreement.
2. On the
other hand the Promise made to Abe which includes justification by faith, is
unilateral, unconditional given to man directly without a mediator.
3. God
alone than has the responsibility to fulfill all the aspects of the Promise!
4. This
also brings out something else, the inferiority of the Law to that of the Promise.
3:21 Is
there a conflict between Law and Promise?
1st the question
Is the Law
then contrary to the promises of God?
The Answer!
May it never be!
The
Logic! [contrary to fact - 2cc]
For if a law had been given which
was able to impart life, then righteousness would indeed have been based on law. (and it
never was)
Observations
3:21
1. The law
is not antagonistic to the Promise of the Abrahamic covenant.
2. Since
God is the source, the author of both therefore properly understood there is no
conflict at all.
3.
Unfortunately they (Promise & Law)
have been interpreted as
different systems of salvation.
4. Even the
legalists see the need for righteousness
but it cannot be obtained by man's doing, his own righteousness, that is law
performance living, no matter how great
the intentions are.
5. If law keeping could produce or impart life,
then what purpose is the Cross?
6. Paul's
big point here: The righteousness which
God requires (His Holiness demands) could never be produced by man through any
type of law performance system.
7. In
giving the Law to Israel God never intended it to produce righteousness in the
sense of justification, or to impart
life in the sense of regeneration.
8. The Law,
for the believers of the dispensation of Israel, provided them with guidelines
for rule of life (divine viewpoint of life) for them as individuals as well as
a people which when obeyed provided them with blessing. Deut. 8; 28
9. For the
unbeliever the M/L pointed out very clearly their inability to fulfill the
whole law and therefore before God they stood condemned and in need of
salvation that only God could provide.